Life Section

By SARA ARTHURS STAFF WRITER Walking in the parks, or even sitting in your backyard, you’ll encounter some of Ohio’s wild creatures — squirrels, bunnies, certain birds and, of course, mosquitoes. Other creatures living here, like reptiles and amphibians, might not be on your radar, but...

Hancock County Pheasants Forever in partnership with Black Swamp Bucks Unlimited, Hancock Park District and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources/Division of Wildlife will host youth outdoor adventures during a “No Child Left Indoors” event from 8:45 a.m. to noon Saturday at Oakwoods Nature...

By JEANNIE WILEY WOLF STAFF WRITER UPPER SANDUSKY — The Wyandot County Infirmary Cemetery, for years lost and forgotten, has apparently been detected with the help of cadaver dogs. According to the team’s findings, the burial ground is located in a field on the property of the Wyandot County Skilled...

Christian Clearing House (CCH) will hold a spaghetti dinner fundraiser from 4:30-7 p.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church, 2330 S. Main St. The Olive Garden will prepare a spaghetti dinner with salad and breadsticks. Homemade desserts and beverages will also be included, provided by Christian Clearing House. The adult price is $9 and the cost per child is $5. Dine-in or carryout will be available, with a separate carryout line. Proceeds will benefit services for low-income individuals in Hancock County. Tickets are available by calling CCH at 419-422-2222 or at the door.

The City of Findlay Recreation Department is offering indoor box lacrosse on Tuesdays at The Cube, 3430 N. Main St., beginning July 24. The five-week program is available for boys and girls in grades 1-12. Students in grades 1-5 will meet from 6-7 p.m., and those in grades 6-12 will practice from 7-8 p.m. Equipment is required for the scrimmages. Registration is $25. Call 419-424-7176 or stop by the recreation department at The Cube from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays to register.

Individuals worried about a loved one’s substance use can sign up for a class focusing on the Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training model (CRAFT). The class will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on six consecutive Tuesdays, July 10 through Aug. 14, at the Hancock County ADAMHS Board, 438 Carnahan Ave. A maximum of 10 participants will be accepted into the class. Participants will learn new techniques and solutions to help move their loved one toward recovery, build a healthier relationship and improve their personal quality of life. The class is structured around the book “Getting Your Loved One Sober” and will be facilitated by local community members who were trained by the author, Dr. Robert J. Meyers. The class is free, and participants are encouraged to purchase the book, though copies will be available to borrow. Call the ADAMHS Board office at 419-424-1985 to register.

The 67th annual Riverside Summer Concert Series, hosted by Hancock Park District, will begin Wednesday, June 6, with Night Jazz at the Allen P. Dudley Memorial Band Shell in Riverside Park, 231 McManness Ave. Each performance runs from 7 to 8 p.m. Admission is free. Bench seating is provided at the band shell, or visitors may bring a lawn chair or blanket. If there is inclement weather, listen to WFIN radio for cancellations or alternate performance venues. Cooperation in producing the concert series is provided by the City of Findlay Parks and Recreation Department, Hancock Parks Foundation, and the Hancock Park District. Sound engineering is provided by the House of Hindenach. WFIN radio personalities will be the masters of ceremonies. For more information, visit www.HancockParks.com under the “Park News” section or call the park district office at 419-425-7275. Night Jazz June 6 A big-band-style jazz group comprising members from Findlay and the surrounding area, Night Jazz plays tunes made famous by Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Frank Sinatra. Founded in 1995, the group incorporates trumpets, saxophones, trombones, piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums and singing into its musical mixture. Fostoria Community Band June 13 The 2018 Fostoria Community Band’s summer tour is titled “Celestial Wonders: Music from Beyond the Cosmos.” Selections include “Jupiter” from “The Planets” by Gustav Holst; “Sundance” by Frank Ticheli; “Star Trek Through the Years,” “Superman” and more. Founded in 1995, the band has 55 musicians from Fostoria and the surrounding area. Nashville Crush June 20 Featuring several Ohio musicians, Nashville Crush’s high-energy, award-winning stage show presents a balance of country and rock music with its combination of guitars, fiddle and banjo. Tapestry June 27 This duo of seasoned northwest Ohio musicians features Denise Grupp-Verbon on lever and pedal harp and Michael Grupp-Verbon on acoustic guitar. Buddy Love and the Coconuts July 4 With band members averaging 30 years of experience, Buddy Love and the Coconuts’ goal is to get the crowd moving and grooving to classic rock tunes from the 1960s and today’s top 40. The band has also been known to offer softer, slower acoustic sets and numbers. Findlay Civic Band July 11 and 18 Under the direction of Jack Taylor, a University of Findlay professor of music, the Findlay Civic Band mixes school musicians, professional people, retirees, seasoned musicians and novices into a presentation of light and pop forms of music, including patriotic, Hollywood and Broadway themes. Pantasia July 25 Findlay High School’s Pantasia Steel Drum Band performs music for all occasions on the steel drum. Since its spring 1997 inception, Pantasia has garnered a reputation as an educational and entertaining instrumental music ensemble, performing numerous shows throughout Ohio, nationally and internationally. The Fossil Creek Band Aug. 1 The Fossil Creek Band grew out of the farmlands of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan in the spring of 2006. Now a bluegrass/Americana band, its members boast backgrounds in folk, country, rock, gospel and barbershop music. Civic Jazz Aug. 8 Playing for more than 50 years, the Civic Jazz Band collects local talent from high school to retirement ages to play music of all genres. The band meets for only two months a summer to perform at the band shell in Riverside Park. Ball in the House Aug. 15 This five-member a cappella group follows the path of classic harmony groups like Boyz II Men, The Temptations, and Take 6 while incorporating the pop and neo-soul influence of artists like Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, and Pharrell Williams. Lake Plains Barbershop Chorus Aug. 22 The Fostoria Lake Plains Barbershop Chorus has provided the region with G-rated entertainment and harmonizing since 1962. Their repertoire includes barbershop standards, modern harmonies, comic numbers, and many gospel melodies. Ted Yoder Aug. 29 Ted Yoder brings a pop symphonic approach to the hammered dulcimer, a stringed musical instrument played by striking the instrument’s strings with small mallet hammers, utilizing skills from guitarists, percussionists and pianists. Yoder’s approach to the instrument weaves stately solo pieces of modern favorite tunes with unique arrangements, powerful dynamics, and beautiful melodic interlacement. His fame rose after his dulcimer rendition of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” went viral from Facebook Live.

The National Tractor Pulling Championships are returning to the Wood County Fairgrounds in Bowling Green for the 52nd annual event from Thursday, Aug. 16 through Saturday, Aug. 18. Gates open at noon Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday at the fairgrounds, 13800 W. Poe Road, Bowling Green. Presented by the National Tractor Pullers Association in conjunction with the Northwestern Ohio Tractor Pullers Association, 26 classes of vehicles will compete for purse money and awards in five Super National sessions. In truck and tractor pulling, vehicles drag a 20-ton weight transfer sled along a straight, dirt track as the sled’s resistance increases. Within a class of similar vehicles, the puller that achieves the greatest distance is victorious. Competing classes are: Session one Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Light super stock, four-wheel-drive trucks, super semi, light unlimited, and unlimited. Session two Friday, noon Super stock diesel, super stock open, two-wheel-drive trucks, super stock diesel 4×4, and light unlimited. Session three Friday, 7 p.m. Light super stock, super farm tractor, pro stock, mini, and modified. Session four Saturday, noon Super stock open, super farm tractor, four-wheel-drive trucks, super semi, and modified. Session five Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Super stock diesel, pro stock, two-wheel-drive trucks, super stock diesel 4×4, mini, and unlimited. Abby Paskvan will perform the American and Canadian national anthems as both countries’ flags are raised before the competitions begin. Nashville Crush will perform from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on the campgrounds Thursday and Friday. The pit area is open all day, each day, where drivers test and tune their vehicles. Attendees can feel free to approach the drivers and ask questions. Other attractions include remote-controlled tractor replica competitions, a kiddie tractor pull, an expanded museum featuring retired tractors, a Saturday morning tailgate party, a toy and trade show, and more. Wednesday, Aug. 15, will feature a ribbon cutting for the new grandstands at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday will feature a 6:15 p.m. flyover by the United States Air Force Ohio 180th. There are also weekend camping areas located on Poe and Haskins roads in Bowling Green. An advance ticket for Thursday’s competition is $20, or $22 at the gate. Advance tickets for both Friday and Saturday sessions are $40, or $44 at the gate. Evening-only tickets for those days are $20 in advance, $22 at the gate. A full weekend pass costs $100 advance, $110 at the gate. Children 10 and under are admitted free. Thursday is veterans and family day, with free admission for all active military members, free T-shirts for all active military and veterans, and gifts for all children under 10. The camping package, which includes two adult weekend passes, is $300. While advance tickets are no longer available online, they can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, and Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 1150 Haskins Road, Bowling Green. Tickets are also available at most northwestern Ohio Kroger stores through the first day of the event, including Findlay’s Tiffin Avenue and Sixth Street locations. For more information, call 419-354-1434 during business hours or visit www.pulltown.com

Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders are encouraged to attend free “Delay the Disease” exercise classes at Mennonite Memorial Home, 410 W. Elm St., Bluffton. Classes are held from 1-2 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays in the chapel and can accommodate those in wheelchairs. Developed by Ohio Health, the program can help participants move about with ease and confidence in a crowd, get out of bed or rise from a chair independently, improve handwriting, dress independently and regain a sense of moving with normality. A physician referral is required and, if falling has been an issue, a participant must be accompanied by someone during the classes. To register, call 419-358-1015, ext. 221.